Perspectivas: Beyond Borders: May 2011

So it's been a while since my last blog post. In short, there has been ample time to sit and write, but I too often chose to relax, read, or run (in decreasing order of frequency...). March was a fast paced month with different college groups (Yale and Wisconsin) visiting and a visit from Yale meant that I also got to see my brother which was great. Having young and eager college students in the village always offers me a breath of fresh air and helps me feel re-inspired and motivated. Additionally, it was great getting a chance to head over to the artisan market in Kigali and watch Zach use his Swahili skills to barter and receive fantastic deals on an absurd amount of Rwandan paintings. The students also had final exams, and the end of the term came quickly.

Then Mike and I fled off to Uganda and Kenya in April. I don't want to bore you all with a play by play of our three week adventure in part of east africa. Safe to say it was filled with lots of fun and exciting activities and experiences (buying endless amounts of rolexes (egg+chapati rolled into burrito = glorious!) in Kampala, rafting the Nile, riding on top of 4x4s while watching the sunset, an all-day hike to a Samburu holy site, lying awake under starlight, endless hot water showers in Kenya's northern desert town of Loiyangalani, an epicly long road trip over to the Kenyan coast and the Lamu archipelago, eating ridiculous amounts of rich and flavorful food). En route home, I stayed an extra week in Uganda and Tony came up from Burundi. The 26th was a fantastic birthday given the company of Tony and Sarah, and I highly recommend Sipi Falls for anyone passing through Uganda. There's something about standing under a waterfall and letting the rushing and cold water fall onto you on a bright sunny day with two great friends that captures, if only briefly, happiness in one of its purest forms.

Now, we're already half way through May. Sadly, my time here is quickly running out. Med school starts in early August so I'll be returning to the States at the end of July (around the time of the end of the second term). The first two weeks back have flown by, and I'm hoping things slow down since there are many things I want to do before I leave Rwanda! The Kigali Peace Marathon is coming up this Sunday, and I'm sure this day will prove to be full of wonderful and unforgettable memories.

Thanks for reading. Until later.

Amahoro.